Reconfigurable antennas have been used in many different applications, including radio frequency identification (RFID) scanning. In RFID scanning, handheld or mobile computers are widely used, such as in different field mobility environments. For example, these computing devices may be used by mobile field service and transportation workers to allow different types of mobile operations, such as in-field computing, radio frequency identifier (RFID) scanning, barcode scanning, and communication with remote external devices, among others.
Conventional reconfigurable antennas typically includes elements that can be electronically switched (e.g., shorted or opened) using different devices, such as PIN diodes or other switches controlled via external wiring. For example, reconfigurable RFID antennas require multiple variable DC bias units electrically connected to RF switches to change the antenna radiation properties in order to better read the RFID tags in different directions. As a result of these components, the antenna arrangements are costly and add complexity to the overall system (e.g., RFID reader) because of the need to generate and coordinate signals.